Was that one of the wettest winters on record? It certainly feels like it! We've had rain, rain and more rain, which has unfortunately left many of our waterways well and truly flooded! The silver lining is that for many of the lakes that haven’t been flooded, the mild weather has led to some spectacular action and many carp have remained on the feed throughout the winter. This could mean some very big weights and a really interesting spring to come!
Speaking of big fish, this month’s lead story is Nicky Mills’ insight into fishing for what is without a doubt one of the biggest and most incredible carp our country has ever produced. What’s more, this huge fully scaled mirror isn’t hidden away in a ‘dead man’s shoes’ syndicate, it lives in The Manor Carp Fishery, an open access venue that anyone can book on to! That’s right – you could fish for this 60lb-plus scaly leviathan!
Continuing on the theme of big carp, Holmesy’s back this month landing the biggest carp in the lake in the middle of winter… something even he was surprised about. Turns out there are still plenty of lessons to learn for a seasoned carper like Mark! There’s some great live session content too, with a Dad vs Lad match between Frank Warwick and his son Guy, plus a particularly productive Troubleshooter Reloaded, which was not only documented for the magazine but also filmed from start to finish – something to look forward to in the near future!
Finally, we’ve a host of tactics, inspiration and advice for the coming spring from top anglers like Rob Burgess, Matt Eaton and Lewis Read to name just a few.
There’s all of this, plus loads more features and gear reviews, making it a stellar issue to set you up for spring. Not only that, but we’re also giving away Part Two of our Alternative Rig Guide, FREE with every issue of the magazine... enjoy!
ON THE COVER
LORD OF THE MANOR
Imagine catching one of the biggest carp to have ever lived in the UK. Add into the mix that the fish is a fully scaled mirror, it’s from an open-access lake and you’ve caught it in the depths of winter! Well, somehow Nicky Mills achieved that exact combination and reveals the full story right here!
TROUBLESHOOTER RELOADED
Ian Russell and ex-Troubleshooter client Chris Watts head to Blasford Hill Fishery for a chance of some winter action. Despite a difficult start, the pair finished the bumper session with seven carp and a pair of thirties hitting the bank!
DAD vs LAD
Frank Warwick takes on his own son in a ‘friendly’ head-to-head competition at Naseby Reservoir. However, it’s not just each other that they’ll be battling against, but the storm conditions that battered them throughout the session! See who came out on top…
BIG-CARP MINDSET
If you couldn’t believe the stamp of the carp that Mark Holmes catches every month, then you’d better believe it because he’s only gone and done it again! Holmesy talks about how he battled against flood conditions to land the biggest in the lake.
DIARY OF A CARP ANGLER
Between the floods, Dave Lane’s managed to get an impromptu session to the Woolpack and was rewarded with a bumper hit of fish… all from just one little spot! Laney discusses his thoughts on this phenomenon, amongst the other goings-on over the last month of his fishing.
